Olympics: Russia readmitted by the IOC. The EU: “A worrying development”

Brussels – Russia readmitted to the Olympic Games? The European Commission has rejected the decision and views the lifting of restrictions on Russian athletes’ participation in the Olympics with “great concern”: “We consider this to be an extremely worrying development.” 

Two days ago, on 7 July, the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), effective from 12 ottobre 2023, on the grounds that “it no longer includes as members any regional sports organisations in the territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.” The ROC has also confirmed “that it does not, and will not, conduct any activities in those territories.” Therefore, Russian athletes will be able to take part in the qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, although the IOC has yet to rule on the display of the Russian flag and the playing of the Russian national anthem, which remain banned at present.

Today (9 July), in response to questions during the European Commission’s daily press briefing, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen explained that the Berlaymont building is viewing “this development with serious concern.” Itkonen recalled that during the last European Council, on 18 and 19 June, the Heads of State and Government “stated that until there is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, Russia’s participation in international sporting and cultural events should not be normalised.” And the EU executive fully endorses this position: “The Commission fully supports this position, and I wish to reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine,” the spokesperson concluded. 

On 5 October 2023, the Russian Olympic Committee included a number of regional sports organisations under the authority of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine among its members. More specifically, the associations were based in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia, mostly Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow. As reiterated by the IOC, “this constitutes a breach of the Olympic Charter because it violates the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee.” Two days ago, the decision was taken to revoke this measure. A decision taken “following an in-depth analysis by the IOC Legal Affairs Commission” and in view of the fact that “the CRO no longer counts amongst its members any regional sports organisation in the territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine.” However, the IOC Executive Board announced that it will continue to monitor “any activity by the Russian Olympic Committee in those territories” and that “it reserves the right to take further measures if deemed necessary.”